Camera.



T, KAJIWARA.

CAMERA.

I APPLICATION FILED NOV. 18. i914. 1,153,392. I Patentedsept. 14, 1915,

2 SHEETS-SHEET I. I

. /0- ,i} Mf/reasea lnVemar 7/ W I Tail/m4 Kd/YWIM T. KAJIWABA.

CAMERA.

APPLICATION FILED NOV. 18. I914.

Patented Sept. 14, 1915' 2 SHEETSSHEET 2 /m emar 72/(11/114 Ha I'Wamrear end of the bellows is provided with a TAKUMA KAJIWARA, OF ST.LOUIS, MISSOURI.

CAMERA.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Sept. 14, 1915.

Application filed November 18, 1914. Serial No. 872,758.

1 '0 all whom. it may concern Be it known that I, TAKUMA KAJIWARA, asubject of the Emperor of Japan, residing at the city of St. Louis,State of Missouri, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement inCameras, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description,such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains tomake and use the same, reference being had to. the'accompanyingdrawings, forming part of this specification, in which- Figure 1 is aperspective view of my improved-camera showing the parts opened. F ig. 2is a detail view showing the parts closed. Fig. 3 is a verticalsectional view through the box portion of the camera when the same is incondition to utilize the film: Fig. 4 is a similar view when the camerais in condition to use a plate. Fig. 5 is a horizontal sectional view.

This invention relates to a new and useful improvement in camerascommonly known as folding pocket cameras, the object being to constructa camera so that it may employ either rolled films or plates.

Another object of my invention is to construct a camera 'so that it maybe focused and the exposure made on the film.

In the drawings, I have shown my invention as applied to a foldingpocket Eastman kodak, but it is obvious that the same is useful inconnection with other types of cameras.

1 indicates what may be designated as the camera box, to which isattached the usual bellows 2 carrying the lens frame 3 at its forwardend, on which is mounted the finder 4 as is commonly employed in camerasof this sort. It is understood that the finder cover may be folded down,and thecover 5 which carries the track for the lens frame may be closed,as shown in Fig. 2, as is commonly resorted to in cameras of this kind;but, as stated before, my invention is applicable to other types ofcameras, and the details heretofore described form no part of my presentinvention. However, with this understanding, I will describe myinvention as being applicable to this particular type of camera which,as is well known, at the film supporting frame 6, at each side of whichis a spool receptacle for the rolled film. These films are purchasablein thev open market, and usually in folding pocket cameras of the typeillustrated, the spool of the exhausted film is taken from itsreceptacle at the left-hand side of the camera (in the position shown inthe drawings) and placed in its receptacle at the right hand side whereit is engaged by the wings of the stud shaft having a handle on itsouter end, which stud shaft cooperates with a clutch to prevent windingthe spool in the wrong direction. The filled spool-containing the filmto be exposed is introduced into the receptacle at the left hand side ofthe camera and the black backing paper carried across and its endinserted in the slot in the exhausted spool, after which the back of thecamera box is placed in position and the clutch handle wound until theoperator is notified, first by hand, and then by a number, that the filmis in position for an exposure. I shall not describe the details of thespool mounts and clutch handle, as those are well known, but I willstate in this connection that'the frame which contains the spools in myconstruction is preferably pivoted at the left hand side of the cameraon an axis coincident with the stud pins on which the unexposed filmspool is mounted. This frame is divided as shown in Fig. 1, the innerportion 7 thereof having at each end spool housings 8, and an opening inits central part preferably coincident in size with'the opening definedby the frame 6. This inner frame 7 is also provided with guideways inwhich a cover plate 9 may be inserted, said cover plate preferablyextending upwardly and provided with a hand hold by which it may beinserted into or removed from position.

10 is the outer wall of the movable spool containing frame which ishinged at 11 to the inner frame 7. This outer frame appropriately shapedand provided with a eeper 12 at its free edge which cooperates with alatch 13 on the inner frame, by means of which these two frames may besecured together. The clutch handle 14 for winding up the film ismounted in the top wall of the free edge of the inner frame and i whenfolded down, as shown in Fig. 1,

passes under the top wall of the camera box until it is exposed by anopening 15 therein. The bottom wall of the camera is also preferablyprovided with an opening 16 to expose the button head by which the studor pin on which the empty spool is mounted, may be manipulated.

-To load the camera, an empty spool is placed in position in the housing8 at the right hand side and in engagement with the stud to which theclutch handle 14 is connected. The filled spool is placed in the lefthand side and the black backing paper drawn over and its end inserted inthe slot in the empty spool. The back frame is now closed and latched inposition when the handle 14 may be manipulated to bring the film inposition in the usual manner. An opening 17 may be provided through-which the position of the film, as indicated by the indicia thereon,may be determined. By withdrawing the plate 9 the camera is in conditionto expose the film and take a picture in the ordinary way. It will, ofcourse, be understood that the inner frame 7 does not have to be swungoutwardly to load the camera, as the same may be left in position andthe camera loaded by swinging the outer frame plate outwardly on itshinge 11. When the camera box, though I prefer to hinge the filmcontainer to the box in the manner in the pocket) in which a frame 19hinged Leo at its lower edge to the camera box 20 is arranged. Thisframe has pins on its upper free edge (not shown) which coiiperate withyielding fastening devices 21 arranged on the top wall of the camera boxwhereby the frame is held in position. The side members of this framehave leaf springs 22 connected therewith whose ends are connected to theground glass frame 23 in which is mounted a ground glass or othersuitable focusing screen 24. One end of each spring is refolded as at 22so as to have a sliding connection with the pin secured to the frame 23with which it engages, thereby permitting frame 23, when the fihn frameis swung outwardly, to move inwardly against frame 6; or when the filmframe is in position as shown in Fig. 3, leaf spring 22 is flattened andthe ground glass rests in the recess between the shoulders 18.

It is the intention that the ground surface of glass 24 when the filmframe is swung downwardly and the frame 23 rests against frame 6, shallbe coincident with the emulsion surface of the film in order that thecamera may be focused correctly either for films or plates. It is, ofcourse, necessary to swing the film frame outwardly before focusing withthe ground glass, but before this is done, the plate 9 is slid intoposition so as to prevent the film being light struck. After focusingwith the ground glass, the same may be swung downwardly out of position,the film frame swung into position, the plate 9 removed, and an exposuremade on the film; or if desired, to use plates, the film frame may beleft in its outer position and a plate holder indicated at 25, Fig. 4,slid into position between frames 23 and 6. The emulsion surface of theplate should, of course, be coincident with the ground surface of theplate 24.

To protect the ground glass 24, I preferably hinge a plate 26 to theupper edge of the frame 19 providing catches 27 at the lower edge ofthis plate so that the same will be retained in position.

From the above, it will be seen that my improved camera is simple andcompact, and that it is possible to focus the same and make an exposureon a film of the camera; or if desired, to use plates, in the manner"which is well known.

The ground glass frame when folded over the film container secured inposition provides an efficient lock therefor and in no Way interfereswith making exposures on the film in the usual manner. It is necessary,however, to swing the ground glass carrying frame outwardly to giveaccess to the film container to load and unload the same.

It is obvious that a device incorporating my invention is susceptible ofchanges and modifications not herein illustrated, and therefore, it isnot my intention that my invention be limited to the specific formshown.

What I claim is:

1. In combination with a camera box having a lens mounted thereon, afilm container pivotally mounted on the box and movable into and out ofexposure position relative to the lens, and means mounted on said boxfor supporting a plate with its emulsion side in the plane occupied bythe emulsion side of a film in the container when the latter is inexposure position.

2. In a device of the class described, a camera box, a film containermounted thereon and foldable into exposure position, a frame mounted onsaid box and foldable over the fihn container, and a focusin screensupported on said frame and adapted to occupy the plane occupied by theemulsion side of the film when the film container is in exposureposition.

3. In combination, a camera box having a lens supported thereon, a filmcontainer pivotally'mounted on the'camera box, and a focusing screenpivotally mounted on the camera box, said film container and saidfocusing screen being respectively movable into the'same focalrelationship with said lens.

j 4. The combination of a camera box having a lens supported thereon, afilm container movably'mounted on the camera box, a. focusing screenmovably mounted on the camera box and foldable over the film con:tainer; said focusing screen being movable into the same focal positionrelative tothe lens as is occupied by a film in the film container whenthe latter is in exposure position.

5. The combination'of a camera box having a lens supported thereon, afilm container movably mounted on the camera box, a frame movablymounted on the camera box and foldable over the film container when thelatter is in exposure position, and means carried by said frame adaptedto support a plate holder so that a plate therein occupies the samefocal relationship relative to the lens as a film supported in the filmcontainer when the latter is in exposure position.

6. The combination of a camera box having a lens supported there0n, afilm container movably mounted on said box, a

frame movably mounted on said box andv adapted to encompass said filmcontainer when the latter is in ex osure position, and

means on said frame a apted to support a ably mounted thereon, afocusing screen mounted on said frame and movable thereby into focalrelationship with said lens, said frame being adapted when in exposureposition to support a plate holder in focal relationship to said lens.

*8. A camera box having a lens mounted thereon and having movablymounted thereon a film container, a focusing screen, and a plate holdersupport, which said parts are foldable into and out of focalrelationship with said lens.

9. In a camera the combination with a camera box having a lens mountedthereon, of a focusing screen and a film container mounted on the boxand respectively movable into focal relationship with the lens on axesdisposed at right angles to each other.

1O. In a camera the combination with a camera box having a lens mountedthereon, of a fihn container and a plate holder support mounted on thebox and respectively movable into focal relationship with the lens onaxes disposed; at right angles to each other.

. p In testimony whereof'I hereunto aifix my signature in the presenceof two witnesses this h day of November, 1914. .I. TAK UMA KAJIWABA,Witnesses:

' M. P. SMITH,

M. A. HANDE

